Device for indicating position of sunken ships.



'No.726,11.8. I QPATENTBDVAPRHZI, 1903'.

A. TOMIG.

DEVICE FOR-INDIGATINGPOSITION 0F SUNKEN SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

' a view of a portion of a ship, showing my de-' UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ANDREAS Toivno', or PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR INDICATING POSITIQN OFISUNKEN SHIPS.

SEEGILFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,118, dated April 21, 1903.

Application filed January 24, 1903. Serial No. 140,351. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREAS TOMIO, a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Indicating Position of Sunken Ships; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to devices for indicating the position of sunken ships or other vessels; and its object is to provide a device of this kind which can. be readily attached to and carried by any ship and which will become operativeautomatically whenever for any cause the ship should sink and indicate the position of such sunken ship.

To this end theinvention comprises a suitable float or buoy and cable or other flexible connection for attaching it to the ship, together with a suitable support on the ship'for holding thebuoy and permitting it to become afloat whenever the ship sinks.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is vice attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation through the float or buoy andits support. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the float, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the support. I

My device comprises a suitable float or buoy 1, which may be of any constructionv capable of maintaining its position on the surface of the Water and be visible for some distance. Preferably it is a hollow metallic vessel such as shown, constructed, preferably,of copper or other non-corrosive metal. It may be of various shapes, but preferably is a section of a sphere,suc h as shown, having one side flattened, as at 2, to form the bottom. The bottom is composed of comparatively thick metal to resist the action of the waves, While the main body thereof is of thinner metal. To further strengthen the vessel, a wheel-shaped stiflening member orfspider 3 is secured just above the bottom, the same having a central hub and radiallyprojecting arms 4. The latter have their outer ends turned upwardly and suitably secured to the sides of the vessel, preferably by means of rivets 5. This vessel will be air-tight, as is common with to the bottom at that particular spot.

buoys, and in a hole through the' bottom thereof is secured a bolt 6, having on its outer end a ring 7, to which is attached a cable or other suitable flexible connection 8, preferably of copper wires or other non-corrosive metal. This cable will be of sufficient length to enable the buoy to maintain its position on the surface of the water in all ordinary depths, and the end thereof will be secured to and supported on the deck of the ship in any suitable way, such as on a spool or drum or preferably in a mere coil.

Attached to the deck of the ship at any suitable point and preferably projecting beyond the sides of the ship are a pair of beams 10, to the outer end of which is secured the support for the float or buoy. This supportcomprises a ring-shaped seat having a flat bottom portion 12, on which the buoy rests, and an upwardly-turned edge 13 to prevent the buoy from beingeasily displaced. This seat is secured to the beams in any suitable wayfsuch, for instance, as by means of the bolts 14 at the outer ends of the beams, and bolts 15, passing through the beams, and flanges 16, formed on the inner side of the seat. To further assist in holding the float in the support, I connect to the seat at suitable intervals the uprights or standards 17, through the ,upper ends of which is passed a wire or other suitable cable 18, the latter being at such a distance above the seat as to embrace the buoy about midway of its height.

In the use of my invention the beams 10 will be secured to the ship and project beyond the sides of the same, and the float or buoy 1 is. placed in the support at the outer ends of said beams, while the oableSis-secured to and suitably supported on the deck of the ship. Should the shipsink, .they'buoy or float 1 will be raised out of the seat orsupport as soon as it reaches'the water'and will remain floating on the surface, the cable unreeling or paying out as the ship descends. The float is preferably painted White, so that it will be visible at a considerable distance and will have marked thereupon the number, name, or other designation of the ship, so that it can be determined just what ship has gone The should they sink, comprising beams attached to the ship and projecting beyond the sides thereof, a circular supporting-seat having upwardly-projecting edges and secured on the outer ends of said beams, standards rising from said seat, a rope or cable passing through the upper ends of said standards, a float or buoy loosely supported on said seat, and a cable or like flexible connection secured to said float and to the ship.

2. A device for attachment to ships and adapted to indicate the position of the latter should they sink, comprising a metallic airtight vessel having a substantially flat bottom, a skeleton frame or spider secured above said bottom and having radiating arms with flanged ends secured to the sides of said vessel, an anchor-bolt secured in said bottom, and a cable or like flexible connection having one end secured to said anchor-bolt and its opposite end secured to the ship.

In testimony whereof I, the said ANDREAS TOMIC, have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREAS TOMIC.

IVitnesses:

F. W. WINTER, ROBERT C. 'loT'rEN. 

